The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has announced that Dr. Perc Pineda has returned to fulfill the role of Chief Economist, effective immediately.

A member of PLASTICS’ Senior team, Pineda will be an integral part of the association’s ability to continue generating original, scientific and data-driven research for, and on behalf of, the members of PLASTICS.

As PLASTICS’ primary expert on economics, statistics, and industry research, Pineda will provide regular updates on the impact of national and global economies to PLASTICS members and the public. Pineda will produce various publications, including PLASTICS’ highly lauded annual Size & Impact report, analyzing the contributions of the plastics industry to the U.S. economy. Pineda will also be PLASTICS’ voice in the public, thought leadership, and conference arenas, addressing industry issues pertaining to the economy.

“We are excited to have Perc return to the PLASTICS team,” said Matt Seaholm, President and CEO of the Plastics Industry Association. “He brings significant expertise that is unparalleled in our industry. Perc’s invaluable ability to identify economic trends and forecast the state of the marketplace is highly regarded and regularly anticipated by our members.”

Prior to returning to PLASTICS, Pineda served as Senior Economist of the Credit Union National Association, where he tracked macroeconomic trends, conducted economic research, wrote articles for industry publications, and interfaced with the media. Pineda’s career experience also includes teaching Macroeconomics at St. Francis College in New York, and Microeconomics, Finance, and Economics of Regulations and the Law at City University of New York. Prior to his academic endeavors, Pineda served as an analyst for the International Monetary Fund. He holds both a Ph.D. and a Master of Philosophy degree in Economics from The New School (formerly The New School for Social Research), a master’s degree in Economics from American University, and a master’s degree in International Management from the University of Maryland.

“The plastics industry’s value-add—its contribution to the economy—is a major force within all manufacturing sectors,” said Pineda upon his return. “I welcome the opportunity to, once again, provide economic, industry and market intel to the hundreds of PLASTICS member companies throughout the supply chain and to the industry at large.”